PhD position in forest hydrology - Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
Laboratory of Cold Regions Hydrology - Université Laval, Canada
The student will be supervised by Professor Daniel Nadeau (Université Laval), head of the Laboratory of Cold Regions Hydrology, and co-supervised by Professor François Anctil (Université Laval) and will conduct his studies at Université Laval, in beautiful Quebec City. The student will also collaborate with forestry research specialists from the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests.
Homepage: https://hydronord.ca/en
Climate: Past, Present & Future (CL)
Hydrological Sciences (HS)
The province of Quebec, in eastern Canada, is more than 50% forested (~900,000 km2). The forestry industry is a major economic driver there. Under pressure from climate change, Quebec’s managed forests are at increased risk of droughts, the intensity and frequency of which are expected to rise in the coming decades. Prolonged droughts are known to increase the likelihood of wildfires, but they also weaken certain tree species, making them more susceptible to diseases and insect infestations. In this context, there is an urgent need to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of water stress in forest soils across the province, under past and future climate conditions, in order to support informed decision-making regarding forest management and land use planning.
The objective of this doctoral project is therefore to model water stress in forest soils while taking climate dynamics into account for managed forests in Quebec. To achieve this, the CLASSIC surface model will be used to simulate water and energy exchanges along the soil-forest-atmosphere continuum. After validating the model’s outputs at numerous experimental sites (some of which are operated by our team) and adapting the model to conditions specific to Eastern Canada, simulations will be run to document the water potential of forest soils based on the modeled soil water content. This interdisciplinary research project, spanning fields related to water (hydrology, hydrometeorology), the atmosphere (micrometeorology, climatology), the biosphere (forestry), and soils (pedology), will generate knowledge and practical benefits for forest resource managers. To this end, the project will be conducted with the Forest Management and Environment Branch of Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests.
Please email Prof. Daniel Nadeau (daniel.nadeau@gci.ulaval.ca) and Prof. François Anctil (francois.anctil@gci.ulaval.ca) with your CV, a short cover letter, examples of previous research (M.Sc. thesis or published articles), and the names and contact information of two referees.
The position may begin in January 2027, May 2027, or September 2027. Review of applications will begin on 15 October 2026 and continue until the position is filled.